Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

As far as generic drugs are concerned, I may have omitted to discuss the issue regarding items going out of stock. The Senator is correct that such items may be out of stock for quite some time. Frequently, one company is taken over by another and, unfortunately, when a given product comes back into stock, it can cost approximately ten times the original price of the inexpensive product that went out of stock. We can all use our own judgment as to whether that is by accident or by manipulation.